The stuff we do, in more detail

The Smokies set several personal records

As we entered the Great Smokie Mountains National Park, we realized we have set several personal ‘bests’ or records. Some were the first day here and some were the second. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Longest hiking trip. We have been out longer now than our previous longest trip, to the John Muir Trail
2. Most continuous miles. We have walked 204 miles, the JMT got us to 150.
3. Largest single day temperature swing. The day prior to the Smokies, we sweat through (thoroughly) our shorts, t-shirts, and bandanas. The next day we foolishly dressed the same and found ourselves sleeping in a snow storm!
4. Largest AT mile day. We hiked, without so much as the promise of a burger, 16.4 miles! That’s not a lot for some people but for us it’s an accomplishment. Especially in the Smokies. We seem to be ‘finding our legs’ as they say.
5. Liz took OFF a layer in her sleeping bag. Anyone who knows my wife, think hard. Have you EVER seen her take ANYTHING off? Chances are, unless you’re me you’ve never witnessed this phenomenon. Well, in the middle of the snowstorm above, she took off one of the three coats she was sleeping in! Score one for that new sleeping bag we bought in Franklin!
6. Least number of blisters ever. I haven’t had more than a hotspot, and Liz has only had 3! If you’ll recall that’s what drove us off the John Muir Trail last summer. We’re feeling pretty confident those days are gone.
7. My personal favorite, we have hit the less-than-2000-miles-to-go mark! We have roughly 1,976 miles remaining on our trek!